poken of Kitty? Has anything dreadful happened? Please
tell me quick, before she comes. I--I won't know what to say." He
twisted about and fixed an eye on the doorway, but Lucy held out a
restraining hand.

"It has been a great secret," she said, "and you must promise not to
tell, but Kitty has been writing a play."

"A play!" exclaimed Hardy, astounded, "why--what in the world is it
about?"

"About Arizona, of course," cried Lucy. "Don't you remember how eager
she was to hear you men talk? And she collected all those spurs and
quirts for stage properties! Why, she wrote books and books full of
notes and cowboy words while she was down here and she's been buried
in manuscript for months. When she heard that you were having the
round-up early this year she was perfectly frantic to come, but they
were right in the midst of writing it and she just couldn't get
away."

"They?" repeated Hardy, mystified. "Why who--"

"Oh, I forgot," said Lucy, biting her lip. Then in a lower voice she
added: "She has been collaborating with Tupper Browne."

"Tupper Browne! Why, what does he know about Arizona?" cried Hardy
indignantly, and then, as Lucy looked away, he stopped short.

"Oh!" he said, and then there was a long silence. "Well, Tupper's a
good fellow," he remarked philosophically. "But Lucy," he said,
starting up nervously as the sound of horses' feet came up from the
creek bed, "you'll--you'll do all the talking, won't you?"

"Talking!" repeated Lucy, pausing in her flight. "Why, yes," she
called back, laughing. "Isn't that always the woman's part?" And then
she fell upon Kitty's neck and kissed her. Hardy came forward with
less assurance, but his embarrassment was reduced to a minimum by
Judge Ware who, as soon as the first greetings were over, brought
forward the mild-mannered gentleman in khaki and introduced him.

"Mr. Shafer," he said, "this is my superintendent, Mr. Hardy. Mr.
Shafer represents the United States Forestry Service," he added
significantly.

"Ah, then you must bring us good news!" cried Hardy, holding out his
hand eagerly.

"Yes," answered the official modestly, but his speech ended with that
word.

"I am convinced," began Judge Ware, suddenly quelling all conversation
by the earnestness of his demeanor. "I am convinced that in setting
aside the Salagua watershed as a National Forest Reserve, our
President has added to the record of his good deeds an act of such
consummate statesmanship that